Implementing integrated circuit yield estimation using voronoi diagrams

1. A method for implementing integrated circuit yield estimation, the method comprising:

using a computer for:

computing Voronoi regions for an original integrated circuit layout;

for each bisector segment of the computed Voronoi regions and each of one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest, computing a failure probability based on geometric parameters of corresponding Voronoi edge regions associated with the bisector segment, using pre-computed failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing for the one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest;

for each segment of a design edge bounded by bisectors, computing a change in the failure probability based on the geometric parameters of the associated Voronoi regions therewith, using pre-computed change in failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing for the one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest;

encoding the computed failure probabilities for each Voronoi region in a manner suitable for visual differentiation by a user; and

encoding the computed change in failure probabilities by directional displacement of a layout edge segment that would result in a decrease in failure probability.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Voronoi regions are defined using an octal distance metric.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising defining additional bisectors for Voronoi edge regions containing vertices not connected by a bisector to a design shape, thereby simplifying all Voronoi edge regions so as to have either three or four sides.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encoded failure probabilities and change in failure probabilities are displayed to a user along with the original integrated circuit layout.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a specific Voronoi region selected by the user and displaying the failure probabilities for the Voronoi region for each of the one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising receiving a selection of a specific failure mechanism of interest by the user and displaying one or more comments associated with the pre-computed failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a specific layout segment selected by the user and displaying the change in the failure probability based on the geometric parameters of the associated Voronoi regions therewith.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising receiving a selection of a specific failure mechanism of interest by the user and displaying one or more comments associated with the pre-computed change in failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing.

9. A computer program product, comprising:

a storage device for storing a computer readable program code for implementing integrated circuit yield estimation; and

instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, the method further comprising:

computing Voronoi regions for an original integrated circuit layout;

for each bisector segment of the computed Voronoi regions and each of one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest, computing a failure probability based on geometric parameters of corresponding Voronoi edge regions associated with the bisector segment, using pre-computed failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing for the one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest;

for each segment of a design edge bounded by bisectors, computing a change in the failure probability based on the geometric parameters of the associated Voronoi regions therewith, using pre-computed change in failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing for the one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest;

encoding the computed failure probabilities for each Voronoi region in a manner suitable for visual differentiation by a user; and

encoding the computed change in failure probabilities by directional displacement of a layout edge segment that would result in a decrease in failure probability.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the Voronoi regions are defined using an octal distance metric.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises defining additional bisectors for Voronoi edge regions containing vertices not connected by a bisector to a design shape, thereby simplifying all Voronoi edge regions so as to have either three or four sides.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the encoded failure probabilities and change in failure probabilities are displayed to a user along with the original integrated circuit layout.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a specific Voronoi region selected by the user and displaying the failure probabilities for the Voronoi region for each of the one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a selection of a specific failure mechanism of interest by the user and displaying one or more comments associated with the pre-computed failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing.

15. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a specific layout segment selected by the user and displaying the change in the failure probability based on the geometric parameters of the associated Voronoi regions therewith.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a selection of a specific failure mechanism of interest by the user and displaying one or more comments associated with the pre-computed change in failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing.

17. A system for implementing integrated circuit yield estimation, comprising:

a computing network including a processing device in communication with one or more computer memory storage devices; and

the computing network further including a software architecture for implementing integrated circuit yield estimation, the architecture further comprising:

a yield tradeoff assessor (YTA) that computes Voronoi regions for an original integrated circuit layout;

the YTA further configured to compute, for each bisector segment of the computed Voronoi regions and each of one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest, a failure probability based on geometric parameters of corresponding Voronoi edge regions associated with the bisector segment, using pre-computed failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing for the one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest;

the YTA further configured to compute, for each segment of a design edge bounded by bisectors, a change in the failure probability based on the geometric parameters of the associated Voronoi regions therewith, using pre-computed change in failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing for the one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest;

the YTA further configured to encode the computed failure probabilities for each Voronoi region in a manner suitable for visual differentiation by a user; and

the YTA further configured to encode the computed change in failure probabilities by directional displacement of a layout edge segment that would result in a decrease in failure probability.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the Voronoi regions are defined using an octal distance metric.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the YTA is further configured to define additional bisectors for Voronoi edge regions containing vertices not connected by a bisector to a design shape, thereby simplifying all Voronoi edge regions so as to have either three or four sides.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the encoded failure probabilities and change in failure probabilities are displayed to a user along with the original integrated circuit layout.

21. The system of claim 17 , wherein the YTA is further configured to receive a specific Voronoi region selected by the user and display the failure probabilities for the Voronoi region for each of the one or more identified integrated circuit failure mechanisms of interest.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the YTA is further configured to receive a selection of a specific failure mechanism of interest by the user and display one or more comments associated with the pre-computed failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing.

23. The system of claim 17 , wherein the YTA is further configured to receive a specific layout segment selected by the user and display the change in the failure probability based on the geometric parameters of the associated Voronoi regions therewith.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the YTA is further configured to receive a selection of a specific failure mechanism of interest by the user and display one or more comments associated with the pre-computed change in failure probabilities as a function of edge orientation and spacing.